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Release From
Senator Tim Johnson,
Senator John Thune,
Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin
FOR IMMEDIATE
RELEASE
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Contact: Julianne Fisher, 202-224-1638
Kyle Downey, 202-228-5939
Russ Levsen, 202-226-4449
SOUTH
DAKOTA DELEGATION OUTLINES NEXT STEPS FOR UNDERGROUND SCIENCE LAB AT
HOMESTAKE
Project
Funding Top Priority for Delegation in Coming Years
Washington,
D.C. – United
States Senators Tim Johnson and John Thune and Congresswoman Stephanie
Herseth Sandlin today outlined next steps for securing federal funding
for a Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory (DUSEL) at
the former Homestake Mine in Lead, South Dakota. Earlier this week,
the National Science Foundation (NSF) announced the selection of Homestake
from a pool of four candidate sites.
In a letter to NSF
Director Dr. Arden L. Bement, Jr., Johnson, Thune, and Herseth Sandlin
expressed their strong and unified commitment to advocating for the
federal resources needed to make the underground lab a reality. In the
near term, the site selection will be accompanied by NSF funds to develop
and refine the laboratory proposal. The Homestake project could potentially
acquire up to $5 million each year for the next three years towards
lab design and development.
Following the design
phase, construction of the lab proposal will be subject to future federal
appropriations. The underground lab will be funded via the NSF’s Major
Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC) Account, and
will compete against other NSF proposals. Preliminary estimates place
the start up and construction cost of the lab at around $300 million.
The full text of
the letter is reprinted below:
July 12, 2007
Dr. Arden L. Bement,
Jr.
Director
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Blvd
Arlington, VA 22230
Dear Dr. Bement:
We write to congratulate
the National Science Foundation (NSF) on its recent decision to locate
a Deep Underground Science and Engineering Laboratory (DUSEL) at the
former Homestake Mine in Lead, South Dakota. We believe the NSF made
a sound decision in affirming Homestake's superior potential to generate
valuable new knowledge through deep underground scientific research.
Now that the site-selection
process has been completed, we would like to take this opportunity
to express our unified and strong commitment to work with your agency
to make the DUSEL a reality. As you know, the Homestake team is now
expected to receive up to $5 million for each of the next three years
to facilitate a more detailed design for the planned facility. The
design's completion will pave the way for the laboratory's ultimate
construction, which we expect to require additional funding through
the NSF's Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction Account.
We are aware that this will require congressional support and leadership
during the process of appropriating federal funds, and we look forward
to serving as strong advocates for the DUSEL.
Though the opening
of a new DUSEL at Homestake will not be assured until federal funds
are appropriated and other preparatory steps occur as planned, we
share the NSF’s optimism that the merits of this project will bring
it to fruition. In addition, we are optimistic about the South Dakota
Science and Technology Authority’s plan to construct an interim state-owned
Sanford Laboratory at the mine's 4850 foot level, as this will accelerate
the timeframe in which scientists can re-enter the mine.
Again, please
accept our congratulations on the completion of the site-selection
process, and know we stand ready to help ensure that the unmatched
scientific promise of the DUSEL at Homestake is fulfilled.
Sincerely
Tim Johnson
U.S Senate
John Thune
U.S Senate
Stephanie Herseth
Sandlin
Member of Congress
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